Juventus v Fulham: Roy Hodgson dreams of making history in Europe

It is not Roy Hodgson's measured style to go for the roll of drums ahead of
any match, no matter how important, but the Fulham manager allowed himself a
grand statement on the eve of his club's significant Europa Cup tie against
Juventus on Thursday.

History man: Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is hoping to start a new chapter in the club's history when they take on Juventus in ItalyPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

By Jason Burt

6:00AM GMT 11 Mar 2010

"We have not had any European history," Hodgson said of Fulham, after a brief doffing of his cap to a successful Intertoto Cup campaign eight years ago. "We are making history as we go along and we are very happy to be making history.

"It will be nice some time in the future if the club can improve on what this group of players has done but we are setting quite a high standard and it is going to be difficult for the club in future years to improve on that."

What is certain is that Hodgson's own part in Fulham's history is already writ large. He has done an outstanding job, re-shaping and revitalising and almost relaunching a club that had appeared doomed to slip out of the Premier League, a division they will comfortably occupy next season, when he arrived.

"Given our position when I came to the club at the end of 2007, I don't think many people at that stage could give credence to the fact we could be this far forward in our development," Hodgson said, as he bids to take Fulham into the quarter-finals.

"One could say what we have done is beyond our dreams. But you'd have to be a dreamer in the first place to get beyond your dreams and I've never been a dreamer. And if I have, I don't admit to it."

Everyone is a dreamer, though, and there was a bit of reverie as Hodgson recalled his two successful spells at Inter Milan – and did not rule out, one day, coaching in Italy again.

He also revealed that he will meet up with Inter's owner, Massimo Morrati, who will be in London next week for the Champions League tie away to Chelsea.

That may set a few chins wagging but Hodgson has the experience and confidence to discuss his future while stating clearly that having extended his contract at Craven Cottage he has no intention of upping sticks just yet. There is much still to do for the 62 year-old.

"You never know what's going to happen to you in football," he said. "I left with good memories, certainly amongst the people who worked [at Inter]. Who knows in the future what will happen? But it's not something I think about. I'm happy with what I am doing."

To arrive at this stage, facing Juventus, is some achievement. After all it was just 14 years ago that the Italians were lifting the European Cup while Fulham were scrabbling near the bottom of England's lowest division. And now they have the chance not just to continue making history but to deliver a real statement of intent for the future.

They will face a club studded with star names – although many are missing this evening through injury – but struggling to recapture their former glories under coach Alberto Zaccharoni, who is on a short-term contract and striving to gain fourth place in Serie A and with it qualification for the Champions League, a competition they were dumped out of before Christmas by Bayern Munich.

The conditions in Italy may also be a factor. The home pitch is expected to cut up badly and Fulham agreed to Juventus's request not to train on it.

With more heavy snow forecast, it is under cover but may deteriorate further. "It will be difficult," Hodgson admitted.

With Danny Murphy suspended, after his dismissal against holders Shakhtar Donetsk, Aaron Hughes will captain the side. "I'm sure a few people across Europe would sit up if we could get a result," he said. They would indeed.